Musical notation.



Pai entad Sept. 3, 19m.

J. P. H. ADAMS. MUSICAL NOTATION.

(Application filed Apr. 15, '19Q1.)

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OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

MUSICAL NOTATION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,015, datedSeptember 3, 1901.

Application filed April 15, 1901.

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHANN PETER H. Al)- AMS, a subject of the Emperorof Germany, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systemsof Musical Notation; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a novel and improved system of musical notation,its object being to provide an improved system of notation wherein thenotes of themusical scale are exemplified in a more simple manner andadapted to be more easily read than in the system of musical notationnow in common use. To this end it consists in the features andarrangement of elements hereinafter more fully described,andparticularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing the manner inwhich the twelve tones used in music are represented in myimprovedsystem. Figs. 2 and 3 are views representing the manner in which thescale of G major is represented, respectively, in the old system and myimproved system. Fig. 4: is a view showing the manner in which thescales of G-flat major and F-sharp major are represented in my improvedsystem of notation. Fig. 5 represents two views showing the clef signsof the old and new notations. Fig. 6 is a view showing the difference inarrangement of the same notes in the system of notation now in use andin my improved system of notation, and Fig.' 7 shows two viewsindicating how the tone-steps are rep resented in my improved system.

The twelve tones used in music are represented in myimproved system bythe signs and named according to their numbers, as represented by thenumerals 1 to 12, inclusive, in Fig. 1. The scale of C major representedin the present system of notation is represented by the signs and namesshown in Fig.2. Fig. 3 shows the manner in which said scale isrepresented according to my improved system, in which the notes arerepresented by the corresponding signs and names shown at the foot ofsaid figure. The scales of G-flat Serial No. 55,887. (No model.)

major and F-sharp major of the old system are represented in my improvedsystem by the signs and names shown in Fig. 4.

When tones are used in a piece of music which extend above and below thethree lines shown in the illustrations of my system, short linesarranged above and below the lines of the staff are used, as shown inFig. at, in the same manner in which they are employed in the presentsystem of notation. All the remaining signs, as half, whole, quarternotes, and rests, remain as in the present system of notation, exceptthat in my improved system the base and treble clef marks (representedby 'Ain Fig.5)are dispensed with andin their place are used the twotone-location marks, (designated by the letter B in Fig. 5.) These twotone -location marks designate the twelve tones which are called in theold notation little octave and one dashed octave. The blacktone-location mark designates the tones of the little octave, and thewhite tonelocation mark designates the tones of the one-dashed octave.The next twelve tones higher are designated by the first whitetonelocation mark 0/; the next twelve tones by the second whitetone-location mark In the same manner are the twelve tones below theblack tone-location mark indicated by the first an second blacktone-location 1s marks Fig. 6 of the drawings represents the differencein the arrangement and signs of the same notes in the present method andin my improved method, the letter O designating the present system ofnotation and the letter D my improved system of notation, from which itwill be seen that in my system in the writing of simple pieces of musicthree stad-lines only are employed and two forms of notes only used,which differ from each other merely in crossing some of the notes.

The advantages of my system of musical notation are as follows:

First. In said system there are three stafflines only used in simplepieces of music, and the notes themselves indicate the tune without theaid of sharp, flat, and natural signs. Besides, each note has adistinguishing appearance and always the same name, which remainsunchangeable.

Second. The notes are easier to discern by reason of the fact that butthree staff-lines and notes of two different forms are employed, and thesame notes have in all positions the same locations in and upon thelines, the same shape, and the same name.

Third. The half-tone steps are indicated by an immediate succession ofcrossed-line notes and uncrossed-line notes and also by invertedsuccession, and the whole-tone steps are indicated by immediatesuccessionof either crossed notes or uncrossed notes, as clearlyillustrated, respectively, by the views E and F, (shown in Fig. 7,)whereby simplicity is insured.

nesses.

JOHANN PETER H. ADAMS. Witnesses:

F. L. BREEN, E. J. HEIMBACH.

